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“We have a man waiting for us at the docks,” Callon offered.
“And once we’re away from the city,” I said, “I can take her home with me.” I looked Garath in the eyes, promising him. “I can protect her there.”
His jaw tightened again, this time in consideration. “And this man you know at the docks?”
“We were supposed to meet him at midnight to exchange information about Maylar,” Callon explained. He looked at me, both of us fully aware of how poorly that panned out.
“Information about Maylar? That worked out well,” Hills muttered with exasperation. “Are you sure this man of yours is even still alive?”
I nodded. “Stone is one of the slipperiest men I know. He’s alive.”
“Ethan Stone?” she said, and when I nodded again, she narrowed her eyes in consideration. “I knew him—once. If heisthere, are you sure he can be trusted?”
“We don’t have much choice at this point,” I retorted. “But yes, I trust him. He’s not in on this scheme any more than I am. He fought two wars for this kingdom as a captain in Her Majesty’s Royal Navy and was cast aside when his nightmares got too bad and they deemed him useless. Needless to say, he hates the aristocracy—doesn’t trust any of them. He wouldneverhelp Maylar or those other two.” Of that, I was certain.
“But would he help Del?” Garath asked, his voice thick with unease.
I’d wondered the same thing. “He will,” I said, “if there’s something in it for him.”
“Which would be what, exactly?” Callon asked.
I glanced at Ada, Callon, Garath, and Hills, all of them staring at me, waiting for an answer. “Let me worry about that. And,” I added, “if his ship is not at the docks, I’ll commandeer one myself and get us the hell out of here.”
Garath seemed appeased by that idea, knowing he had few other options at this point.
“And you’re sure you can get into the tower?” I clarified, knowing this was all for nothing if they couldn’t get Del out.
Garath’s gaze snapped to Ada.
“Yes, we can get her out of the tower,” she said, though her tone was far more confident than she looked. Ada and Garath exchanged a few drawn-out moments of silent understanding, as if they knew what needed to be done.
Finally, Garath looked at Callon, then at me. “But if something happens,” he added, a grave, reluctant expression darkening his features, “if we’re not at the docks by dawn, you get Liam out of here—get him to safety.”
“You know I will,” I said without hesitation.
“Hills,” Garath continued without skipping a beat. He was back in planning mode.
She was already looking at him, a grim expression on her face, like she knew what he was going to say. “Go with Fin into the city. Gather as many loyalists as you can find. We are the resistance, and Del will be queen. We need to work quickly and quietly to maintain our foothold in the city.”
“Long live the queen,” she said with a nod, but they stared at one another, a few silent moments passing between them.
“We have to hurry,” Ada urged.
With a final nod, Hills glanced between Del’s most loyal lady’s maid and her fiercest protector. “Be careful. Both of you.”
Ada squeezed Hills’s hand. “You as well.”
Garath watched Liam and Lyra at the gardening shed for a moment, then looked at me. “We’ll meet you at the docks as soon as we can.”
I nodded in promise. “We’ll be waiting.”
With a final, silentgood luckexchanged between us, Garath and Ada disappeared through the juniper to rescue their uncrowned queen.
As I peered up at the tower in the distance, an idea formed.
24
Del
